Exercise Your Way to Excellent Eyesight!

The benefits of exercise to both body and mind are popularly known that even schoolchildren will be able to tell you that it’s actually good for you. However, recent findings in research reveal that exercise can specifically do wonders to your eye health and even prevent the occurrence of the most common eye disorders affecting adults.

A recent study done on mice by the researchers at Emory University in Atlanta and the Atlanta Veterans Administration Medical Center in Decatur, Georgia revealed that exercise (which translates to the mice running on the treadmill for at least an hour a day) increased the level of substances called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or B.D.N.F. in the mice’s bloodstream. Although the BDNFs have been known to contribute to brain health and improvement in cognitive skills, the researchers also found out that it can potentially protect the mice from deterioration in vision.

Here’s an excerpt from the abstract:

“Exercise increased retinal BDNF protein levels by 20% compared with inactive mice. Systemic injections of a BDNF tropomyosin-receptor-kinase (TrkB) receptor antagonist reduced retinal function and photoreceptor nuclei counts in exercised mice to inactive levels, effectively blocking the protective effects seen with aerobic exercise. The data suggest that aerobic exercise is neuroprotective for retinal degeneration and that this effect is mediated by BDNF signaling.”

While people aren’t actually mice, there’s actually no harm done when exercise is included in the preventative plan against the most common eye disorders associated with aging such as macular degeneration and cataract.

Meanwhile, allow us to help you figure out your risk of visual impairment problems! Call us at 330-305-2200 o to set up an appointment with our specialists in quality refractive, LASIK, lens implant, and cataract surgery. We look forward to your visit!

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